The present invention is directed to pharmaceutical compounds and compositions comprised of oxadiazolones and their physiologically acceptable salts and physiologically functional derivatives showing that are shown to provide peroxisome proliferator activator receptor (PPAR) delta agonist activity. PPARdelta agonists have been described in the prior art (e.g. WO 01/00603 and WO 02/092590 to Keil et. al., WO2003/074495, WO2004/093879, WO2004/080943, WO2005/054213 and WO2005/097786). Compounds comprising an oxadiazolone feature as inhibitors of factor Xa were disclosed in DE 101 12 768 A1, oral hypoglycemic agents in WO 96/13264. From WO 97/40017 compounds having a phenyl group linked to heterocycles are known as modulators of molecules with phosphotyrosine recognition units. Phenyl derivatives as agents for the therapy of thromboembolic disorders are known from WO 02/057236. Benzene derivatives as inhibitors of squalene synthase and protein farnesyltransferase are described in WO96/34851. See also U.S. Pat. No. 6,200,995 to De La Brouse-Elwood et. al. as well as WO 03/043997 and WO 02/092590 to Johnston et. al.).
The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR) are transducer proteins belonging to the steroid/thyroid/retinoid receptor superfamily. The PPAR receptors were originally identified as orphan receptors without known ligands, but were known for their ability to mediate the pleiotropic effects of fatty acid peroxisome proliferators. These receptors function as ligand-regulated transcription factors that control the expression of target genes by binding to their responsive DNA sequences as heterodimers with RXR. The target genes encode enzymes involved in a number of metabolic and cell growth/cell proliferation/cell differentiation inductions. These then provide targets for the development of therapeutic agents for the treatment of metabolic and central nervous system disorders, among others.